Combined coat hanger and clothesline gripping and suspending device



Jan. 19, 1960 e. CAVlN 2,921,728

COMBINED COAT HANGER AND CLOTHESLINE GRIPPING AND SUSPENDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 21, 19 56 IN V EN TOR.

LUELLA e. CAVI N,

United States Patent comma) COAT HANGER CLOTHESLINE GRIPPING AND SUSPENDING DEVICE Luella G. Cavin, Cadiz, Ohio. Application August '21, 1956, Serial No. 605,259

1 Claim. 01. z2s--93 This invention relates to a clothes hanger of the type adapted for supporting a garment in a position best suited to avoid wrinkling, and which may be used to securely hold a garment in such desired position to facilitate quick drying on a clothes line, and may also be used as a hanger for various garments when suspended by a hook over a horizontal bar, rail or rod, as, for example, in a clothes closet.

Itis frequently desirable to use a clothes hanger of the type which is embraced by the shoulders of the garment and suspended on a clothes line by the usual centrally positioned, upwardly extending hook. However, inasmuch as the garment so supported presents a broad area, wind or a strong breeze may slide the garment along the line and against other garments or articles likely to soil them, or may readily dislodge the hook from the line, permitting the garment to drop to the ground.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to make use of a coat hanger type of support which may have the usual rod engaging hook and to providewith it a unique and novel arrangement for firmly engaging the clothes line without in any way impairing the usefulness of the hanger or interfering with its convenient attachment to and support on and disengagement from the clothes line.

A more specific object is to embody the present invention in a combination comprising a plastic clothes hanger and a plastic clothespin afiixed thereto in such a manner as to leave the suspending hook clear for its normal use, while so positioning the clothespin as to permit convenient gripping and supporting action on the clothes line.

A further specific object is to so position and affix such a clothespin that it may effect a bracing and reinforcing action of the hook while being so positioned that one part of a spring acting, two-part clothespin may be rigid with the hanger element, while the other part is free to be sprung outwardly for embracing the clothesline after the manner of the usual use of the clothespin.

A more specific object is to so position the clothespin that it may be conveniently opened by the usual pressure of thumb and finger and while a garment is supported on the hanger in the manner of the usual function of the clothes hanger.

Other more specific objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description, which relates to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my combined clothes hanger and clothespin, showing a clothes line and a garment in broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, a portion of the clothes hanger arms being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the hook and adjacent portions of the hanger arms, with the clothespin differently positioned and with the hook of modified contour;

Fig. 4 is an edge elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the hook and a portion of are the arms of the hanger, with a two-part spring-actuated clothespin of slightly different form combined therewith; and

Fig. 6 is an edge elevation of the same. p -Referring to the drawings by use of reference characters and numerals, the clothes line is shown in broken lines at L in Fig. 1, while a garment G is similarly shown in broken lines as supported by a combined clothespin hanger.

The hanger shown is of a form in which arms 11 extend each way from the central portion and are curved outwardly to conform to the shoulder portions of the garment, while from the middle portion rises a hook member integral therewith, as shown at 2.

Both the hook and arms may be of the Web and rib configuration which is commonly used in articles'of this type, and which are formed by thermoplastic injection molding, for the reason that, not only is a saving of material efiected, but the cooling period of the molding cycle is correspondingly shortened, reducing manufacturing cost, as is well known in the art. a

In Fig. I, hook members are formed at the undersides of the ends of the arms, as indicated at 3, by which straps of skirts, slips, and the like, may be supported.

Rigidly afiixed to the middle portion between the arms 1, and adjacent to the hook member 2, is one part 5 of a two-part clothespin, the other part 6 of which is held thereto by a combined pivoting and closing flat spring 7, while both parts 5 and 6 are provided with line-engaging notches of varying size, as indicated at 8.

Such a clothespin is of the usual well known spring closing type, and the upper portions of its arms or parts 5 and 6 may be squeezed to spread them over the clothes line, or over a garment on the line in the usual way. The parts 5 and 6 may be of a material similar to that of which the hanger is made, and, in fact, may be formed by the same sort of thermoplastic injection molding.

The part 5 of the clothespin may be secured by a cement which is suitable for both gluing and uniting the material, in effect, rendering the part 5 integral with the hanger arm and hook portion when in the position shown.

If the material is polystyrene, cellulose acetate, or a like plastic composition, glue of like chemical properties, including acetone, may be used to so unite the parts as to effect the equivalent of integral unity between the part 5 and the contiguous hanger portions. This attaching of the clothespin to the hanger may be accomplished after the completed pin is assembled, or the part 5 may be attached and then the spring and part 6 may be assembled thereon, forming the complete assembly as shown.

It will be noted that the length of the clothespin is preferably such that it may reach from the hanger arm portion upwardly on the hook, and to one side of the stem of the hook in such relation as to leave the hook free to engage a supporting rod such as used in a clothes closet or any other support normally used to embrace such a garment. In use on an outdoor clothes line where the wind is likely to disengage the hook of such a hanger from the clothes line, obviously the clothespin may have its notches suited for varying sizes of clothes line, and may firmly engage the clothes line with the garment thereon, thus avoiding any likelihood of the hanger support being disengaged from the line and leaving extremely small chance for the garment to be loosened from the hanger which it embraces in the maner indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1.

In the slightly modified form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the hook may have an elongated stem portion, while the 3 portion 5a of the clothespin may be fitted thereon, thus positioningthe clothespin centrally of the hanger. fact, the part 5:: may be made flat and be firmly umted for its full length with the central portion of the arms of engaging a notch in its part of the clothespin.

Here again, the clothes pin may have its one part flattened somewhat in contour, although in practice, I have found this is unnecessary if the pin is positioned. as indicated in Fig; 5. In any event, the part 16 may be swung outwardly by pressing its upper end inwardly toward the hook to engage or disengage the clothes line or other like support.

As above indicated, the clothespin part 5, 5a, or 15 may be formed integrally with the arm and hook portion of the hanger. Likewise, obviously the hanger may be formed of any of various shapes and contours, and, in each case, it will be seen that the attachment of the clothespin to the hook and main portion of the hanger effects a strengthening and bracing action.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that various garments may be hung in this hanger and supported in the usual way; wet garments dried, and heavy garments may be dried or aired by placing them on the hanger and then supporting the hanger on a clothes line out of doors, by using the attached clothespin to directly engage the line. 4.

The applicant is aware that the parts of such a combinationmay be considered to be functioning in: the usual manner, but believes that this combination is novel, and the parts are mutually cooperative in the arrangement shown, particularly in that the clothespin grips the clothes line directly, while only one leg or part of it serves to support the hanger, i i

More obvious arrangements have been tried and-found inconvenient and unsuccessful for many reasons. For example, a pair of clothespins attached to the two arms interferes with supporting the garment. A single clothespin connected in any manner to the upper portion of the hook is awkward and its support is insuflicient.

Many prior attempts to hold the hook on a line by a clothespin have been found awkward and inept;

It is believed, therefore, that the applicant has provided a novel devicerwhich has proven in practice to'--be practical and successful for its purpose.

The novelty and advantages are enhanced by carrying out the invention with moldable materials of substanstantially the same character, whereby the; uniting of one part of the clothespin to both the arm and hook of the hanger becomes practicable. It will be noted that this one part of the clothespin in each instance bridges across the juncture between the hook and the 'arm portion of the hanger, thus v reinforcing them and assuring a strong connection between the unitary hook andarm portion and the clothespin.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim is:

A clothes, hanger comprising a pair of garment supporting arms intermediately integrally connected with, an upwardly extending hook and being. made of plastic material, a two-part spring-actuated clothespin, one part extending along. the hook and over a portion of the: juncture between the, arms and rigidly securedto both the arm-juncture portion and to the hook, leaving the other part of the clothespin free to be actuated under spring tension for embracing a clothes line, said attached part of the clothespin serving to strengthen the juncture be. tween the hook and the garment supporting arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,900,826 Lindsay Mar. 7, 1933 1,990,128 Lederer Feb. 5,1935 2,370,391 Bolten et a1. Feb. 27, 19.45 2,629,575 Loyot et a]. Feb. 24, 19 53 

